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Winterizing programs save on heating bills
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Winter weatherizing programs offer a low-cost or free way to make fixes to your home that can add up to large savings on heating fuel.
Here are some ways to find help:
• Call your local social services for referrals to programs. Even if you don’t get any services from them, they’ll know how to contact county or state programs or can refer you to classes you can take. In Southeast Georgia, the program is normally run by Coastal Georgia Community Action Authority. For referral information, call Michael Vaughn at (912) 264-3281, ext. 130.
• Contact your utility or fuel company. Often it will do free “leak checks” to help you identify problems in your home.
• If the area where you live is even slightly rural, consider calling Rural Development, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program. If your weatherizing goals are serious enough to fall under the category of actual repairs, you might qualify for a low-interest loan or grant. To contact Rural Development and get the number for your state branch, call 1-800-670-6553.
• The Department of Energy has a weatherizing help program that’s run through individual states. Go to www.energy.gov and click on general information, then weatherization assistance Program. In the left column you’ll see a link to state contacts. If you qualify as low income, you’ll receive a whole-house energy efficiency audit as a first step, as well as a safety check.
Whether you sign up for help through a program or do the work yourself, the main goals are to keep cold air out. At the very minimum: Use a caulking gun to seal around windows. Check your hardware store for shrinkable clear plastic sheets that go on the inside of windows. Those sheets can do more than you might think to keep cold air from coming through the glass. At the height of winter there could be a 20-degree difference in temperature on the window side of the plastic — cold air that isn’t making it into the room.
With cooler weather, especially at night, you’ll be able to tell if you have air leaks at exterior doors. Just take off your shoes and check for cold air down at floor level. Invest in weather stripping around the doors if you feel a draft. Also check wall electrical plugs to see if cold air is blowing in. Invest in plug inserts, or buy the gasket kits that block the whole wall plug.

Uffington does not personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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